The Midland automotive industry has received a timely boost in the shape of a 187mph Dutch supercar.
The Netherlands-based car-maker Spyker has begun production of its Aileron sport coupe in Coventry, after opting to switch production from Zeewolde in Holland.
The company has created 40 jobs at its £1 million production facility in the city – the first cars to be made in Coventry since Peugeot ceased production in 2007.
Company founder Victor Muller said: “This move makes sense on many levels. CPP has been producing our body panels for 10 years and we have a close working relationship with the company. More than half our components are sourced from the UK, so moving here will bring considerable efficiency savings which is vital for a car company our size.
“CPP has shown that the tradition of quality is alive and well in the Midlands region and in Coventry in particular, and that can only bring benefits to us. Coventry has been at the forefront of quality automotive design and production and Spyker wants to be a lasting part of that.”
The C8 Aileron sells for around £175,000, and is powered by a 4.2-litre V8, 40-valve engine.
The car will now be assembled by CPP Manufacturing – Spyker’s supplier for 10 years – at a 20,000 sq ft plant in the Whitley area of the city.
Until now CPP has been producing chassis and components for Spyker, then shipping them to The Netherlands for final assembly.
The move is part of the company’s strategy to scale up production and reduce, where possible, maufacturing costs.
CPP has already recruited eight new members of staff, with the addition positions set to take its workforce to 150.
Brendan O’Toole, managing director of CPP – which produced the first prototype cars for Spyker when Mr Muller resurrected the brand in 2000 – said the move was ‘‘an exciting time for Coventry’’.
He added: “Against a general backdrop of decline in UK car manufacture in recent years, today provides positive news not just for CPP but importantly for Coventry.
“Spyker is a world renowned name in the design and production of exclusive cars and CPP is extremely pleased to now be playing a larger part in that success story.
“We have established a very good working relationship over the last decade and this announcement allows us to take this relationship to the next exciting stage. Spyker fully recognises the expertise that exists within CPP but also in this area of the UK which has a very rich and proud tradition of automotive manufacturing.”
